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EU Parliament approves legal option to block Russian LNG imports

The European Parliament voted on Thursday to pass guidelines permitting European governments to ban Russian melted gas (LNG) imports, by preventing Russian firms from booking gas infrastructure capability.

The European Union has actually avoided enforcing sanctions on Russian gas, which some members rely heavily on.

As a workaround, the new gas policy aims to develop a. legal route for governments to block Russian gas deliveries to. their country though so far no major importer has suggested they. will utilize it.

The new EU gas market guidelines allow governments to temporarily. stop Russian and Belarusian gas exporters from bidding for. capability on the infrastructure required to deliver piped gas and. LNG into Europe.

Russia slashed pipeline gas deliveries to Europe following. its 2022 invasion of Ukraine - shrinking what had been the primary. path for Russian supplies to reach Europe. But Russian LNG. continues to stream into the continent, primarily through ports in. Spain, Belgium and France.

Russian LNG shipments to Europe increased last year to 22. bcm, up from around 16 bcm in 2021, according to EU analysis.

A reinforced bulk of EU countries require to approve the. policy before it takes effect - a step that is expected to pass. the law without modifications.

The EU has actually imposed sanctions on Russian sea-borne oil. imports and coal. The European Commission has not proposed gas. sanctions, which require unanimous approval from EU nations. Hungary has actually vowed to block a Russian gas import ban.

(source: Reuters)